Oaklawn Cancels Opening Weekend; Other Tracks Cancel Thursday Racing

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The arctic weather sweeping the country has caused Oaklawn to cancel its opening weekend. No races will be run Friday, Saturday, or Sunday because the racing surface at the Hot Springs, Ark., track is frozen. The track is open for simulcasting.

Additionally, inclement weather has forced the cancellation on Thursday of racing at Charles Town, Turfway Park, and Penn National.

Live racing will not begin at Oaklawn on Jan. 31. The Dixie Belle Stakes has been rescheduled for the new opening day, and the Mountain Valley Stakes has been rescheduled for Sunday, Feb. 2.

A promotion scheduled for opening day, a 12-pack cooler, will be held Jan. 31.

"Out track crew did everything they could to hold the track, but with the wind chill down below zero degrees, the track pushed our equipment out of the ground," Oaklawn general manager Eric Jackson said. "Because people come a long way to attend the races at Oaklawn," the decision was made to cancel for the entire weekend, he said.

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